LinkedIn occasionally has a trending topic that bloggers will post about from various industries, the most recent one has bloggers sending advice back in time to themselves at age 22. Even though 22 isn’t too far behind me, I was surprised at how much I have already learned since graduating from college. So here it is, short and sweet, what I know now that I wish I knew then:

1) Don’t worry about living at home with your Mom for a little while after graduation. You are lucky that your situation allows for it and that your Mom is actually not Maleficent after all. Doing your own dishes and paying for the internet is a cake walk compared to the bills and responsibilities you will have living on your own. Cherish the constant cleanliness and money you are saving each week, you will be so thankful that you did.

2) Yes, those shoes are extremely cute, but the credit card bill and student loan bills you have accrued aren’t going to pay themselves. Pay off as much of your little debt as possible. Clothing stores, electronic stores and any other small debts you have accrued during your college years should be the first to go. Always pay more than the minimum amount and put more towards the smaller debt first. Don’t be afraid to call the company and work out an APR% negotiation. Trust me, it works.

3) Keep all of your important documents in a safe and organized place. Separate your bills into Health Care, Auto (insurance and vehicle documents), Student Loans, Credit Cards, and Utilities to start. I highly recommend Mint.com to keep track of budgets and your everyday transactions from your debit card. As scary as it can be to look at it all, you will feel better knowing you are on top of all of your finances and know where you stand. This is a great step toward improving your credit score.

4) Don’t be afraid of your circle getting smaller. The older you get, the easier it is to see who your true friends are. Your beliefs change, your location changes, your relationship status changes. People grow up and grow apart, that doesn’t mean your friendship didn’t mean anything or that you are no longer friends. With that being said, know when to cut ties with people who aren’t adding to your life or supporting you in a positive way. You will regret keeping people around longer than they deserved.

5) Don’t worry. The percentage of tough days that you have made it through thus far is 100%. Nothing is ever as bad as it seems. Take a step back from the situation before you react or make any decisions and remember that even though it may not have been the path you thought you wanted, it may be leading you to the path you really need. Have faith.

6) It is perfectly okay to start from the bottom. In the real world, your degree is a starting point to your career, but it is not a guarantee. Be eager to learn, eager to work long hours, eager to do the grunt work- but keep your eyes and ears open. Ask questions and learn as much as you can from those around you who are performing well. At my last position, I would ask each rep for tips and strategies and try them out on my own. It is always great to have your own personal style, but sometimes you get there by mixing in what works for others. Eventually you will not be the newbie, or the recent graduate, but someone that people come to and ask questions because you are the expert, or you do that task very well.

7) Find a mentor, someone who inspires you, or a few people who inspire you. Let them motivate you to stay on your path and don’t be afraid to take risks no matter how silly you might feel. Henry Rollins said, “You must do what others don’t to achieve what others won’t,” and sometimes that means going outside of your comfort zone. So what if everyone else is being 22 and going to bars every weekend and watching TV every night. It is okay to continue studying things that interest you, and working hard right out of the gate. It is okay to have an early start to the rest of your life.

8 ) Don’t compare yourself to others. It might take a while to learn this but it is a must. Trying to keep up with the Joneses or the Kardashians guarantees that you will ultimately be unhappy because you think what you have is never enough. Social Media is a highlight reel of everyone elses life. Just the good, not the bad or the ugly. At the end of the day it is you, your God and the people you love that you have to answer to, everything else is just fluff.

9) Listen to your Mother. She is wise and has been through it all. More importantly, she’s the only one who loves you without any reservations and under all conditions. Stop pretending she is annoying and needs to get her own life, you are her life, and one day you will thank her for all she has done.

Don’t tell my mom I said this.

10) Go out in the world and do something for others. Educate yourself, educate others. Choose positivity over negativity every time. Spread the light. Be the light.

Tee up for abilities with the Al Sigl Sports Classic and Dino Kay of Fickle 93.3! A new opportunity for 2014 allows young professionals and others the chance to fundraise for a slot to play golf. The tourment is one of the oldest and most prestigious in town – $350 a golfer with more amenities than you could dream! Now you have a chance to ask your friends to sponsor you to play in the tournment. An ideal scenario for YPs looking to make business connections and have fun while watching their budget. The top three fundfraisers will join Double Eagle Dino’s foursome on Monday, June 9th at Midvale Country Club. Still not convinced to start your fundraising page? Read the top ten reasons below for why you want to join the legacy that is the Al Sigl Sports Classic:

Each dollar raised stays local and supports the 55,000+ visitors with special needs that visit an Al Sigl Campus each year

Before you indulge in the deliciousness, make sure you enter the “Month of LOVE” raffle to win some amazing prizes including tickets to sporting events, music events, gift certificates, sauces and other prizes.

You can also donate to the Sticky Lips Pit BBQ location at 625 Culver Road.

A YP is typically defined as anyone from 20-40 years old; that’s a 20 year gap (for those bad with math) and a long time period in someone’s life! Let’s face it, it’s a descriptive word for those of us not yet of age to hang with older professionals but also (or alas in some cases) not in college anymore. Your 20s and 30s are filled with a ton of change, and changing of the titles you and others use to describe you.

As a Young Professional I’ve already graduated from college, worked in a professional setting, quit that job to go back to school for a masters, moved to a new city, landed a new professional job, and eventually left that to move back home to Rochester, buy a house and get married. Phew, I’m tired just thinking about it!

I’m blessed to have a great friends and family who have supported me on that journey, but if you would have asked me at 22 if I would be blogging for my local Habitat for Humanity YP group at 31, I would have laughed in your face! Not that I don’t love this part of my job (I secretly feel I have a great face for radio but blogging will have to do) but as my 20′s get farther away and I grow into my 30′s I start look at the titles people give me, and how they change. College student, go-getter, Young Professional, community activist, blogger and now, Wife (insert the doomsday music here). Of the things I never thought I would be, Wife is at the top of the list.

For those of you who don’t know, my (hard shelled on the outside, mushy on the inside) hubby and I were married last September at what I lovingly refer to as the culmination of 19 months of wedding planning HELL. (Good thing the outcome was well worth every horrific minute of planning!) But now, a new title; and think about it, when they call you by your job title you hope to live up to that, right. So what would be different about your personal title? And how do live up to being a wife?

For me and many others, it’s a balancing act. When I think of the hundreds of things I’m trying to accomplish every week like you are – being present at work appointments, returning phone calls, saying thank you to volunteers, balancing the check book, cleaning the bathroom, dropping off dry cleaning… how do I make sure I’m a good wife AND professional? For starters, breathe! Once I quelled the panic attack ensuing, I took a suggestion from a colleague of mine and invested in a notebook (and it’s a girlie one, so what?) that helps me track all tasks needed to be accomplished. This thing is my saving grace. But how do you write down ‘be a good wife’?

The last thing I try to do to balance all the titles in my life and be a good life-partner is remember that no matter what happens that day, I have to be right with three things at the end of the day: my conscious, my husband and occasionally my mother.

I don’t care what title you have now or are striving to achieve later, the only way I sleep peacefully at night is to know that I did my best during that day to achieve my goals, one of which is to be a good partner. Me dropping off the dry cleaning, and occasionally putting work first or asking for help doesn’t make me a bad wife, it makes me a human!

Put the time and energy into the things you need to get done and the things you love, whether it’s organizing a fundraising happy hour or your marriage – don’t hold back! Be organized and be passionate, you’re a Young Professional for crying out loud. And don’t worry – this title too shall pass eventually…

The Rochester's Young Professionals blog is the place to look for the latest updates on the young professionals scene in Rochester, from career advice to networking events.

Contributors

Kate McGowan is a former Rochester television news reporter now working in the non-profit sector for the nation’s leading children’s charity, Make-A-Wish. She is passionate about inspiring young professionals to use their talents in becoming more actively involved in their communities. Follow her on Twitter at @KateMcGowan

Toni Lynn Arena: I am a digital media specialist by day and a fitness loving, animal activist by night. When I'm not working on self-improvement inside and out, I work with other philanthropists to build awareness within the young professional community and help make a difference.

Andrea Raethka earned a bachelor's in History, Sociology and Women's Studies from the College of Brockport. She is a mother of three young children and is always up for exploring new places for kiddie play dates. She enjoys good food, local shopping and keeping up to date on news, politics and public school issues. Find Andrea on Twitter: @Mango1531.

Ashley Dewey is an internet marketing blogger from Victor who shares thoughts about life and pets.

Audrey Burns is a reader, writer and full-time nostalgist who writes about cultural and social issues in Rochester.

Cynthia Pacia shares thoughts about giving and living in the Rochester area.

Eastman Young Professionals share the latest happenings at George Eastman House.

Habitat for Humanity Young Professionals share life and non-profit experiences, and their journey within Rochester’s changing landscape.

Jason Schwingle is a native of Rochester. He shares his thoughts and ideas on bringing young professionals back to Rochester and to downtown.

Jenna Kempie is the Social Media Chair for the Rochester Young Professionals, and is contributing posts on RYP activities and other helpful insights for young professionals in the community. Jenna enjoys getting out and exploring the area, and talking to people about their Rochester experiences, print and technology - on and offline. Follow Jenna on Twitter: @JennaKempie

Jennifer Galvez Caton is an active arts volunteer who shares her passion and perspective on theater, film, dance and music with young professionals in the Rochester area.

Jerome Nathaniel is a 2011 graduate of the University of Rochester, where he was an executive editor for the Campus Times and a service fellow with the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. Now, the Brooklyn native has returned to Rochester as an Americorp Vista at Foodlink, where he's serving as a hunger advocate.

Kayleigh Nutting is a non-profit professional that came to Rochester for college and never left. She is a graduate student and works full time planning special events and fundraising. Follow her as she writes about kicking back, giving back and appreciating the Flower City.

Kristine Caronna, a young professional blogger from Greece, shares her thoughts and updates.

Leah Shearer is a young professional and two-time cancer survivor from Rochester. She shares her unique perspective on all things - the serious, the silly and everything in between.

Luticha Doucette is a student researcher, activist and humanist who sees the world from a seated position. She chronicles life as a disable person seeking a PhD. position in biophysics at Yale or John Hopkins universities, and beyond.

Maria Thomas is the chair of RocCity Coalition, who is passionate about education and the needs of city youth. She writes about various opportunities for young professionals to get involved in the community.

Olga Podzorov is an agent with Nothnagle Realtors. She is a community activist and passionate philanthropist who is committed to working with young professionals. She covers a variety of real estate issues.

Ruth Harper-Rhode, a St. Bonaventure University graduate, does public relations for a local nonprofit. She moved to Rochester from a small city in 2011 and lived on Park Ave before moving to Penfield, where she currently resides.

Terra Keller sends updates from the staff at Foodlink, a popular regional food bank.

Stefanie Schwingle is a Rochester native and has worked at Wegmans Corporation for the past 10 years, but her interests lie in entrepreneurship and communication and her passions include urban living, photography, and cooking. Stefanie lives downtown with her husband and loves everyday life in the city.

Taren Greenidge earned her B.A. in Economics and Political Science, cum laude, in 2007 from Spelman College and her J.D. from Duke University School of Law in 2010. She is an associate at Littler Mendelson, P.C, a U.S.-based international law firm exclusively devoted to representing management in every aspect of labor and employment law. Taren is the president of the Black Young Professionals of Rochester, an auxiliary of the Urban League of Rochester, N.Y., Inc., which targets individuals ages 21 through 40 to foster growth and professional development, to empower members to achieve success and to strive to improve the community.